Blackstone

Cindy Callahan, a nurse by training, was in her 50s when she first began raising sheep as a way to keep pasture grasses under control. She soon began milking her flock, and before long, her son Liam joined her as a cheesemaker. Today, Bellwether Farms makes an array of fresh and aged Italian-style sheep and cow's milk cheeses.

Bellwether's newest cheese, Blackstone, is a blend of sheep and cow milk. Its paste is scattered with black peppercorns, giving it a mild boost of spice, and its rind is rubbed with ground pepper, rosemary and vegetable ash. The paste offers the characteristic tang of sheep's milk, while the cow's milk offers a caramel sweetness and a rich mouthfeel.